A HYNDBURN councillor has quit the committee behind the annual Rishton Festival stating he does not have the time to devote to it.

Treasurer Cllr Ken Moss left his position shortly after this year’s festival.

There had to be a last-minute bid to save it after problems were raised over the cost of an insurance quote.

Cllr Clare Cleary has also left her role as chair, but will remain as a committee member.

Organisers of the annual festival temporarily pulled the plug on the family event held at Norden High School, but it was saved and staged on Saturday, July 2.

Switch On Rishton, a resident group behind the Christmas celebrations in the town, managed to bring down costs which cleared the way for it to be held.

Cllr Moss stepped away from his position before a meeting took place between committee members who motioned a vote of no confidence in their treasurer.

He said: “I told the chair that I stepped down before the meeting took place.

“The end result is still the same though, there needs to be a committee in place that have the time to do the job properly and make sure the festival is run correctly.

“I have many roles in the council cabinet and I had stepped up to take over the festival running otherwise there would not have been one.

“I’m not disappointed that I have walked away, I want the festival to be a success and be run to a high standard.”

Hundreds of people attended the festival, which began with a parade that started at the Station pub and finished at Norden High School. A number of stalls, children entertainment and a beer tent were set up at the school in Stourton Street.

Former chairman, Malcolm Ward, who stepped down his position in 2015 after six years, said the festival would continue with help of a new committee.

He said: “Cllr Moss will take no further part in any committee or festival decisions. It is vital that the festival has people behind it that are passionate and want to keep it going. Saying that there would have been no one to take the festival on is not true. Myself and Christine Hammerton the former treasurer will be temporarily reinstated into our former roles until new members are found to fit the roles.”